1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to displaying information of a database, and more particularly, to displaying information from a database which can be correlated to a particular physical document.
2. Background Information
Numerous available products are directed to the interaction of physical documents, such as books, with digital information. For example, scanners are known which permit physical documents to be digitized so that a user can interact electronically with the document. It is also known to include bar codes on physical documents which can be scanned by a bar code reader. The bar code reader can be connected with a database, and used to access and display information related to the document.
One such scanner is a hand-held Universal Product Code (UPC) reader available from RadioShack Corporation of Fort Worth, Tex. which can be used to swipe a UPC code or label and, as a result, view information about a related product from the World Wide Web via an associated computer monitor. The product code can be included on a physical document, such as an advertising brochure or catalog.
Other devices which provide for digital interaction with a physical document include graphics tablets, such as those available from Kurta Inc. These tablets constitute flat surfaces upon which a user places a physical document. Afterwards, the user can move a xe2x80x9cstylus/penxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cpuckxe2x80x9d representing a cursor associated with the graphics tablet about the document (e.g., about a drawing on the document), to trace the document and thereby create a digital version of the document. The tablet tracks the absolute position of the stylus, as opposed to merely detecting the more traditional relative position associated with, for example, movement of a mouse over a mouse pad. The resultant motions of the stylus can thus be translated into the creation of digital images on a computer monitor.
Although numerous devices for interacting with physical documents exist, there is a need for developments which can simplify this interaction, and enhance the ease with which information related to the physical document can be presented to the user.
The present invention is directed to enhancing a user""s interaction with a physical document, such as a page of a book, by supplying the user with additional information related to the physical document in a simple, easy to use fashion. Exemplary embodiments provide this additional information as digital content that is displayed as an overlay upon the document. The overlay can be in the form of a flat digital display that can be moved about a surface of the physical document. The absolute position of the movable display is tracked relative to a document, so that digital content presented on the display is related to a particular position of the display over the document. This capability can be exploited to, for example, provide an on-the-fly translation of a particular document, with the translation being provided as the movable display is positioned over the words printed on a document to be translated.
Generally speaking, the present invention is directed to an apparatus and associated method for displaying information. According to exemplary embodiments, the apparatus is configured as a movable display comprising: means for detecting an absolute position of the movable display relative to a surface of a first document; and means for correlating the absolute position of the movable display to information stored in a database, and for presenting the information on the movable display. Exemplary embodiments permit a user to interact with a physical document to access and manipulate related digital content.